The Stand
The South Side has always been blessed with an active community of volunteers ready to lend a hand. That’s especially true during the pandemic as people stepped up to help on a myriad of fronts, including volunteering for The Stand.
Community advocates have been busy making sure your voice is heard. They’ve been registering residents to vote, making sure community members complete the census and feeding The Stand information on the pandemic and related support services so we can get that information to you.
Local groups have also united to ensure that residents get tested for COVID-19, and some groups have turned testing into an occasion for celebration. For example, 100 Black Men of Syracuse (along with many supporters) organized four nights of testing dubbed “COVID: Don’t Bring It Home.” The events included live music to help people pass the time while they waited for testing at the Syracuse Community Health Center. Additionally, the mentoring group helped to sponsor fun and safe activities for residents to stay engaged with their neighbors, like a socially-distanced paint party.
The Stand’s volunteer photographers have been busy covering such events during this crisis. See even more highlights from their work by following The Stand’s Instagram account @MySouthSide.
Community contributors, students at the Newhouse School and several self-described “retired,” local journalists have stepped up to tell important stories as well as report on community meetings. One is Mike Greenlar, who recently retired from The Post-Standard and Syracuse.com. Over my more than 10 years working on this project, Mike gave me my greatest compliment when he shared his desire to one day retire and work for The Stand because he felt it was a publication that told the stories of the real people who call the South Side home. We’re ecstatic to welcome him.
As 2020 draws closer to its end, we’re excited to hear from community members about their projects and plans. We are eager to help you share your work with the community.
Don’t have anything to share? We’d still love to hear from you! What do you want to see from your community newspaper? What information do you need that you don’t get from other media sources?
We’re here to fill those gaps!
So reach out at any time — ashley@mysouthsidestand.com, (315) 882-1054 or The Stand, 2331 S. Salina St., Syracuse NY 13205. Flood us with feedback. It helps us keep The Stand a true community newspaper.
— Ashley Kang
